Unbelieveable!!!

It has to be said that when I looked at my running app while I was staying with family over Christmas that I was surprised to see that it had logged 96K.  Well, that threw down the gauntlet...and I was determined to get 100K logged before the end of the year.

AND I DID IT!!!

Not bad for someone who couldn't run for toffee 5 months ago!  (I have actually run more than 100K, but I didn't log the first 5 weeks of my Couch to 5K programme - but I had to see the actual figure on my app!)

Here's to a more active 2014 :)

A reflection

Never forgotten

Before you were here,

You were loved

As you entered this world,

Our hearts were torn

We never wanted to say goodbye

Before we could say hello

How impossible to do a lifetime of loving

In time that was all too brief

And we have not just lost you,

But all our shared tomorrows

And in times yet still to come

When stolen future moments leave us breathless

May our treasured love for you

Sustain us still

May we stand together

United by our shared remembrance

Of our love for you

Knowing that you,

Our innocent one,

Is held forever safe

In the Father’s arms

© Ali Taylor 2013

Never forgotten...

"Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders." 

Deuteronomy 33:12

Aiden Thomas 26.11.13 - 28.11.13

Graduation time again :)

Confession time...for the last nine weeks I've been following a running programme called Couch to 5K which I found on the NHS website http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx  I'd always said that 'running didn't suit my disposition', but thought I'd give this programme a go and see if I could get myself off the couch and running...

Today I ran the final run of the programme so I can now call myself a C25K graduate!

Here is my progress:

Week one

Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then alternate 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking, for a total of 20 minutes.

Wednesday 4th September - Run 1
Seemed to go ok...but so hard to keep going for 1 minute.  Used an old pair of trainers.

Thursday - Legs ached today.  I want to run, but can't see how I can!  Hoping the podcasts will get me through!

Friday 6th September - Run 2
Sore legs after the run today - have a headache as well.

Sunday 8th September - Run 3
Ran in a shower - week 1 complete!

Week two

Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then alternate 90 seconds of running with 2 minutes of walking, for a total of 20 minutes.

Tuesday 10th September - Run 1
Ran...aaargh...but made it!

Thursday 12th September - Run 2
Hard going...but I will persevere.

Saturday 14th September - Run 3
Hard - but I did it.  Not looking forward to week 3.

Week three

Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then two repetitions of 90 seconds of running, 90 seconds of walking, 3 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking.

Monday 16th September - Run 1
I've run for 3 minutes without stopping - twice :)  Albeit as slow as a snail going backwards up hill...but still!!!

Wednesday 18th September - Run 2
Got through ok.

Friday 20th September - Run 3
Got to the last run of the podcast and sped up!!! Only for less than a minute but I am still amazed.

Week four

Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 3 minutes of running, 90 seconds of walking, 5 minutes of running, 2½ minutes of walking, 3 minutes of running, 90 seconds of walking, 5 minutes of running.

Monday 23rd September - Run 1
Run 1 done - but sore legs.  I ran for 5 minutes without stopping - twice...trying not to think that it's only 5 runs til I have to run for 20 minutes without stopping - *looks shocked*

Tuesday - Had sore muscles, but am looking forward to the run tomorrow.

Wednesday 25th September - Run 2
Ooooh...achey legs, but I did it.  Andy came with me this time - but it was like being stalked at high speed as he ran behind me so as to not put me off by running ahead!

Friday 27th September - Run 3
I did the run, but I am SO sore.

Week five

There are three different workouts for this week. They are as follows:

Workout 1: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 5 minutes of running.

Workout 2: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 8 minutes of running, 5 minutes of walking, 8 minutes of running.

Workout 3: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 20 minutes of running, with no walking.

Saturday - Aching legs.

Sunday - Aching legs better today - phew!

Monday 28th September - Run 1
Run 1 done - sore right ankle, but not bad!

Wednesday 29th September - Run 2
Done! Just the scary run to come this week...20 mins non-stop!!!

Friday 1st October - Run 3
I DID IT!!! I ran for 20 mins - go me!  Sore right knee though - hope it'll be ok in the morning.

Week six

There are three different workouts for this week. They are as follows:

Workout 1: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 8 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 5 minutes of running.

Workout 2: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 10 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 10 minutes of running.

Workout 3: a brisk 5-minute walk, then 25 minutes of running with no walking.

Monday 7th October - Run 1
Tough run.  Got a headache during the second run of the podcast - a horrible ache.  I made it though, but right knee and ankle are sore now, particularly the knee.

Wednesday 9th October - Run 2
Ran in the evening for the first time, really weird.  Improved on running up Estcourt Road - cut 1 1/2 minutes off my time - Yay! So, only 1 run left on week 6....25 mins!!!

Friday 11th October - Run 3
Complete! 25 mins...3.6K.  Laura, the coach on the podcast says I'm now officially a runner.  Andy and I ran together again which was nice.

Week seven

Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 25 minutes running.

Monday 14th October - Run 1
Ran 3.7K in 25mins 1sec.  That's 100m extra in 6 less secs.  Did get a migraine with aura after which wasn't pleasant at all.

Wednesday 16th October - Run 2
3.7K in 25mins 15secs.  Hard going today - got stitch twice.

Friday 18th October - Run 3
Managed to cut 11 secs off my 'dash' up Estcourt Road - now 7mins 50secs - Yay!  And I ran 3.8K in 25mins 1 sec.

Week eight

Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 28 minutes of running.

Monday 21st October - Run 1
Managed 28 minutes of running and covered 4.3K.  But got another migraine in the evening complete with holographic aura :(  

Wednesday 23rd October - Run 2
4.4K at 6.23km/h But such aching legs this evening.  Thought those days were over...grr...

Thursday - Sore left shin today which started last night and carried on through today.  Aching muscle in my groin too.  Really, really, really want to complete C25K - only 4 runs left...but I'm going to have to see how my shin is tomorrow.

Friday 25th October - Run 3
Shin still sore, but went for the run anyway.  I'm sad though, as for the first time I couldn't keep running.  I had to stop and walk 4 times.  I want to finish this challenge.  I'm worried if I stop running for too long then I won't be able to get going again.

Week nine

Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then 30 minutes of running. 

Monday 28th October - Run 1
I decided to go for the run today as my shin felt better.  And the good news is in...I ran for 30 mins without stopping, then checked my running app and I had about 600m to go so I carried on and completed 5K in 33mins and 2 secs!!!  HAPPY ME!!!

Wednesday 30th October - Run 2
Ran 5.1K today in 31mins and 40secs, giving me a new PB for 5K of 31mins and 13secs.

Thursday - I'd decided to get new running shoes so went to a local shop (http://www.gloucestersports.com/) recommended by my good marathon-running friend, Jane.  Had my gait analysed on a treadmill - first time I've ever run on a treadmill...and got a new pair of shoes!  Planning on running my graduation run in them :)

Friday - gave blood yesterday and didn't feel like running today...graduation run tomorrow...no excuses!

Saturday 2nd November - Run 3

Not the best run, but I did it!  Felt a bit sick on the way round...might've been because I ran early.  But I have run 5K in 33mins 55secs.  I was hoping to get closer to the 30mins, but the fact remains - I didn't stop.

I am a C25K graduate!

Prayer 24 - Rooted.

A couple of weekends back saw our second 24 hour prayer event based on Colossians 2:6-7

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

Here are some photos from the day:

The Prayer Room:

Family Prayer session:

Youth Event:

Late night outreach session:

Prayer breakfast:

A real success! So on with the planning for Prayer24 #3!

Time for a change!

From this....

To this!!!

Here we go again...

After a lot of sorting and packing up we headed off to Exeter with Bex again - can't believe it's her second year already!  Where did that last year go?

New house

Shared room

Bex's room

Under canvas...

Andy and I have just had a great weekend - we had to drop Beth off at camp down in Romsey so set off late morning on Saturday and headed to Woodhenge for a picnic.  Not so much wood as concrete though...as all the posts had been replaced with concrete, but never mind.

Then we drove on to drop Beth off at Stanbridge Earls School.  She was so excited to be there and we left pretty quick and went into Romsey itself.  We've been down to camp with Beth for the past 3 years and hadn't made it into the town so it was a perfect opportunity to go grab a coffee and have a little wander.

Discovered Romsey Abbey and had a look round and found out that Lord Louis Mountbatten was buried there.  After a coffee we then drove onto our campsite - Summerlands - in Coombe Bissett.  It was lovely - we felt very welcome and quickly set up our tent.

We bought the tent a couple of years ago and this is the first time we've camped together.  Once we'd set up we walked down into the village through gorgeous fields with sweeping views of the countryside and ate dinner at a lovely pub called The Fox and Goose.

The walk back was slightly harder as it was uphill, but dusk fell as we walked and suddenly there were bats swooping about and we saw stars appearing in the deep blue sky. Managed to pick out Venus.

We got back and settled in to our tent - very cosy.  Slept very well, but woke early - I got up to use the facilities and saw the sun rising - absolutely gorgeous, but I didn't stay up long - too chilly!

Once we finally got up properly we had breakfast then packed everything up and set off to visit a few English Heritage places on the way home.  First we went to Old Waldour Castle, then Nunney Castle and finally Farleigh Hungerford Castle before driving back home.

Old Waldour Castle

Nunney Castle - complete with moat

Farleigh Hungerford Castle

600 year old painting on the wall of St George killing the dragon

Fab weekend - we didn't want to come home!  But it did feel like we'd been away for ages - now thinking we might try camping again some time.